


Prodigal

by mindwalker



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!, Naruto
Genre: Fourth Shinobi War, Gen, Introspection, Moral Ambiguity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-28
Updated: 2012-04-28
Packaged: 2017-11-04 11:37:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/393399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mindwalker/pseuds/mindwalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chrome’s moral compass has always pointed to people instead of principles and the world somehow hinges on Uchiha men. This is all about wishes and wrong choices and families.</p><p>Sasuke wants nothing more than to avenge his.<br/>Itachi sacrificed it for what he perceived as greater good.<br/>Chrome is the only one with hope of gaining hers back.<br/>They all are likely deceiving themselves.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>(She is lost and alone.)</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Prodigal

 

 

 

She is lost and alone.

It feels as if she’s fourteen again, trapped in her own mind. She has her free will this time, her senses and her powers on tight leash, but once again there’s a brilliant powerful madman, a boy manipulated, her Family somewhere she cannot reach — and she can find no exit. No one will rush to save her, ripping barriers (worlds) apart. Not this time.

There is something of Xanxus in him and it’s not just the coloring. Chrome, of course, knows about the Cradle. All the Guardians were there when the truth came out — some might’ve missed it in the fight, but she is always aware. Chrome always listens. Chrome always sees. That’s what being an illusionist requires.

The best lies of all are built from truth after all. Xanxus, she maintains, is at his core a spoiled child; Sasuke less so, but just as self-centered and raging.

There is a glimmer of Spade in his smiles — no care, no compassion; only blind craving and longing. They both have been left to their insanity to gnaw for too long in their self-imposed loneliness. They both did completely wrong things for seemingly right reasons.

Even so she feels for him. He was loved so dearly once, no feeling in the world can fill his heart now that this love has been ripped away, not to return in all eternity. They all want someone to love them. What he does not understand (does not wish to know) is that destruction brings no closure, only more emptiness. But she has no words, and he listens only to the dead.

She sees Mukuro in crimson shades of Sharingan. _Mitsu-domoe_ like numbers, Sasuke’s Mangekyou like lotus flowers they both loved. “Destroy Konoha”, he says. “Annihilate the mafia”, she hears. The mad red moon of infinite Tsukuyomi echoes with sea of blood in her bones, in the flesh she was gifted with. Pure and beautiful world, they say, voices melting, melding until Mukuro’s boyish tone is indistinguishable from Madara’s, spitting their scorn for the world and humanity.

Old souls, she thinks, so terrible in their hatred. She knows no hatred herself, only contempt. She will use the masked man’s vast resources as he uses her (like mindless instrument, she curls her lips in distaste, but she cannot let him think her more valuable). Ancient knowledge, ancient malice, and in the end he too is self-centered, spoiled child. Her boss would be so disappointed with her choice of allies, appalled at plan she’s part of, except it wasn’t much of a choice — if she wants to see him (them) again, Madara is her best shot. If a way home exists, she must find it. They are waiting.

The Family who loves her even when she has a hard time believing it. “Morality”, “honor”, even “rules” are all words an illusionist has to forget, should he wish to excel at his art. What she’s done at Uchiha’s orders, what is yet to be done — all of it horrible, all of it irrelevant, insignificant, if only it takes her home. Madara (powerful, knowledgeable, malicious) is her only hope. All the lore of the shinobi villages and beyond he has promised for her search (for a path to _home_ ) when she named her condition, and he had no reason to lie. He too is an illusionist and tells nothing but truth. (Whether he means it is another matter.)

 _Only a foolish little child like you,_ grass hisses, _would take a man like him at his word. You should know. Lies within the truth, truth among the lies. This is what we are. Set a trap, stab him in the back, take it all for yourself. Like you should._

“Too strong”, Chrome argues back. “Too experienced. And I don’t need to trust him to use him.” She knows better than to trust the grass either. Grass hides snakes, after all.

 _True._ It is amused. _So true._

And this world? Chrome cares not. If it can’t save itself, if its people don’t try hard enough — then die it should. Sooner or later, with her or without, it’ll rip itself apart, if it gave birth to people like Madara and Sasuke, but not to people that would overcome them.

 _You’re better than this,_ the leaves whisper with conviction. He was never completely blind to others’ faults, simply wanted to believe the best about them. With her, it seems, that trust had been misplaced.

“No, Boss”, she replies. “You really are too kind.”

 

 

 

They likely do not expect her to yet draw breath.

It is safer that way, of course. Sasuke she is not wary of, he thinks nothing of her, nothing of his squad, blind to reason and deaf to pleas. He is just a pawn, a piece on the board to be played along with her, with that plant-creature and those unfortunate bijuu. This is all they are to that man, and she should be careful lest he acknowledges her as a threat, someone with her own agenda. It might been better if he does not know she still lives, but as she heads to the horrendous battlefield he and his new ally made of once untouched lands she knows she can’t hide for long.

Their army is made of _dead_ and those disgusting white Zetsu-things modified somehow in her absence. She knew Madara was plotting, but knew nothing for fact, and now his revolting horde swarms before her: bound, undead, undying. It’s sacrilege, dragging the dead to the sun against their will, making her almost physically sick and raging, but then she is half-dead herself, and so is Madara. Jury’s out on Sasuke.

The living are rushing together, clothes marking them of different allegiance, but all wearing the same symbol, eyes set with same determination. It’s beautiful, she thinks, how they rise united in their purpose. The world struggles for survival.

The Paths scream, a pitch only those who have crossed death can hear. A terrible rippling note that wails with grief and sorrow. And pain. She’s felt it only once before, weeks ago, and later learned it had been a failed attack on Konoha, which cost Madara his best puppet. Chrome has forgotten the man’s name, but pieced together enough to be sure that the technique had been his alone. She never got to meet him.

And now he’s brought to life again. Naturally, she has to see.

There are four men in the clearing, one of them the jinchuuriki Sasuke has set himself to destroy, another vaguely familiar, but she knows the right one in a heartbeat. Blood red hair remind her of the Shimon boy as well as one of his techniques — but the source, the Six Paths are the same, the very ones that sing with her mind. (Parallels, mirrors and echoes everywhere in this world.) Chakra holds more destructive force than Mist flames, but just like her he wields power over life, death and souls. (Chained, warped, twisted unnaturally to a malicious will, it screams.)

She knows the second now too. The brother Sasuke speaks of, stoking his hatred. Itachi is like a blow to the gut (not what she imagined from their words, not at all), his very existence a reprimand. ( _Things we do for those we love._ ) Her ghosts speak with the voices of Uchiha men, and he is the worst of them all (and so brilliant). He makes her feel _shame_ , makes her clench her fingers tight on her khakkhara, Mist earring heavy with beautiful ideals she’s forsaken in her desperation, her selfishness. Six rings on her staff, Six Paths resonating with her heartbeat like harp strings, and Chrome too has a semblance of command over them.

Is this the right thing to do? (Is anything she does these days?)

“You wish to undo Edo Tensei”, she says when he parts from two others, no query in her voice. She has to make it quick, one way or another. Sasuke is not that far, she feels him coming, and there is no telling whose side he’ll take now; whatever happens, Madara will know soon, will want her dead for her treachery. There are no (cannot possibly be) flickers of amber flame in Itachi’s dark dead eyes, but she feels it anyway — and is it still Dying Will if he’s already dead?

Strange, how he reminds her of so many good people at once. Strange that he listens to her at all. This is not something she wanted, but probably should be done nonetheless. (This must be how Boss feels when making decisions.)

Somewhere far away her Family, the boys she loves so much, might forgive her for not returning to them (while Mukuro will mock her impulsiveness). Once again she is putting her life on the line for someone she doesn’t know or care for ( _Shoot, Boss_ , she said then, _I’ll protect your friend)_.

Sometimes your best is not enough, but still you try.

“I can help.”

**Author's Note:**

> Tobi is referred to as Madara simply because at the time Chrome has no way to know otherwise.  
>  _khakkhara_ — ringed staff, part of Mist Vongola gear. Originally used by Buddhist monks for prayer of defense. Most curious, though, is the little fact that only Bodhisattvas are depicted with six-ringed staff like Mukuro’s. Ironic, since he’s the farthest person from enlightenment, trumped only by Byakuran and maybe latest arc arrivals.  
>  By the way, Six Realms of Samsara (cycle of rebirth) in Japanese would be _'Rokudou Rinne'_. The connection between Nagato’s and Mukuro’s respective powers was undeniable even before Naruto manga explicitly showed it during Konoha assault.
> 
> That cleared, in my headcanon Chrome attaches herself to people, not ideals. Thus I believe that given right incentive she'd be perfectly fine with committing immoral actions and waging a world war. Except one of the people she wants recognition from (i.e. Tsuna) would Really Disapprove.  
> [references to ASoIaF just because it's so brilliant. they don't really mean anything]


End file.
